Activity: Human evolution

Learning Outcomes: Uses information from sources to present well-thought out answers to questions. Communicates knowledge and understanding by formulating arguments based on evidence from the sources in a debate and by producing pieces of historical writing. Uses technology where available and appropriate Evolution a. Answer the following questions in your notebook: What is evolution? To which species in the genus Homo do we belong? What are the other species in this genus called? Write a short paragraph about Darwin's evolutionary theory. What does "survival of the fittest" mean? b. Do some research on the internet or in the library on the other theories of evolution. Then write a short paragraph on each theory, similar to question 3. c. Make two groups and have a debate about the Theories of Evolution, based on the information that you have gathered. Archaeology a. Answer the following questions in your notebook: What is archaeology? How do we normally learn about the past? What do archaeologists study to find out about the past? What does pre-history mean? Why is archaeology important to us? Early Hominid discoveries a. Answer the following questions in your notebook: What is a hominid? What is a fossil? List two places in South Africa where we have found hominid fossils and point them out on a map of SA. How old are these fossils? What was discovered at Taung and what conclusion did this archaeologist reach? Which important skull was found at Sterkfontein and what was it named? Why are these archaeological sites so important to us? What is a World Heritage Site? Name 5 World Heritage Sites in South Africa. Where in East Africa have hominid fossils been discovered? Can you find these locations on a map of Africa. Examine the section on and the picture off the Laetoli footprints. Why is this line of footprints so important? How old are these footprints, how did they get there and how did they remain intact for so long? Human settlement in South Africa a. Answer the following questions in your notebook: How long have humans been living in South Africa? Who were the first people to arrive in SA and when did they arrive? What other names have the San and Khoikhoi been called and why are these names not used today? What other people also migrated to South Africa? Why do we not use the word "Bantu" anymore? What is hunting and gathering? And are there still hunter-gatherer communities in southern Africa? Write a paragraph on the !Kung? Answer the following questions within this paragraph, Why could they live the way they did for so long? Why do you think their lifestyle had to change? Why did the !Kung lose their land? What is a pastoral society? Which people in South Africa lived in a pastoral society and what animals did they keep? How were their lifestyles different from hunter-gatherers like the San? What problems did these difference cause between the two groups? When did the agricultural revolution take place? What does it mean to domesticate an animal or plant? What do BC and AD stand for? Why did African farmers decide to make their home in South Africa? What is subsistence farming and do people still practice subsistence farming in South Africa? Why were cattle so important? b. Class discussion: What is "lobola"? Do you think this is a tradition you would embrace? Make two groups and debate the issue. Do you know anyone who has paid lobola? You will have to read more about lobola in your library or on the internet.